Nadal Struggles with Losing His Competitive Edge

Rafael Nadal recently shared his thoughts on life after retiring from tennis. The Spaniard, who now spends much of his time playing golf, admitted that he struggles to stay as focused without the competitive drive that fueled his tennis career.

Nadal enjoyed nearly two decades at the top of men’s tennis, winning 22 Major titles and 92 overall singles titles. The former World No. 1 retired after Spain’s quarterfinal exit at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga last November. Since then, the 38-year-old has made sporadic public appearances but prefers staying at his home in Mallorca.

Nadal on Golf: “I’ve Lost My Competitive Edge, and That Makes Me Angry”

In recent months, Nadal has turned to golf for physical activity. For those unaware, the 22-time Grand Slam winner reportedly has a handicap of +0.3. While he is highly skilled at the sport, he admits that the lack of a competitive goal frustrates him.

In a recent interview with Eurosport, Nadal shared:

“I’ve lost my competitive edge, and that makes me angry. I go to play golf and I’m not as focused. I don’t understand going to play without a goal. I’ve always considered myself a competitor and fighting… I prefer that to winning easily. When you retire, your body slows down, but I feel more focused now. Retirement hasn’t been bad for me; I’ve tolerated it well.”

Despite his frustrations, Nadal has still performed well in golf tournaments. Shortly after retiring, he participated in the FGB Hexagonal Golf Circuit, finishing eighth out of 78 players. He even managed a “birdie”—scoring one stroke under par—on two par-5 holes and one par-3 hole.

Andy Roddick on Nadal’s Golf Skills: “That Ugly Swing Shoots 71 Every Time”

Last December, former World No. 1 Andy Roddick praised Nadal’s golfing ability on his podcast, Served with Andy Roddick. While he jokingly criticized Nadal’s swing, he acknowledged that the Spaniard is far ahead of most amateur players.

Roddick remarked:

“Take the best athletes from other sports, put a tennis racquet in their hand and it’s hard. They can look like they’re not athletes very quickly… Even Rafa’s swing video, his golf swing video, people were like, ‘Oh god, what a terrible golf swing!’ He’s a scratch, by the way. That ugly swing shoots 71 every time.“

Nadal’s Golf Achievements

Nadal has competed in several district-level golf tournaments in Mallorca. Notably, in October 2020, he finished joint-sixth at the Balearic Golf Championships, just weeks after his French Open victory against Novak Djokovic.

While he may not have the same competitive fire in golf as he did in tennis, Nadal continues to set high standards for himself—whether on the court or the golf course.